Darth Prinz
by Gustave Daae Y
Summary: Darth Vader didn't save Luke at the end of Return of the Jedi. Now blind and less than human, Luke Skywalker goes by a different name as he serves the citizens of the Empire at Darth Vader's side. His plan is to survive as long as he can and protect his family from the Emperor who keeps them all imprisoned.
1. Chapter 1:Sunrise

_**Chapter 1**_ **Sunrise**

The crowning ceremony of Darth Prinz was being broadcasted all across the galaxy that dawn. Imperial supporters swarmed the front of the imperial capital, desperate for a look at the new crowned Prince of the galaxy. Not much was known about the man: he was more mysterious than Vader himself. He just appeared one day, a few days after the destruction of the second death star.

Everyone was wondering who he was and were slightly disappointed when the man cloaked in black presented as 'The Prince of the Empire' wore a mandalorian helmet crowned with emerald jewels, shielding his face from anyone's view.

Unbenounced to the crowds of millions of people watching as the prince walking the steps of the jedi temple to receive his recognition, his heart was racing.

' _What am I doing.'_ He thought to himself, ' _This is crazy. I can't possibly...this is wrong.'_

' _Calm yourself.'_ The Prince heard Vader's booming voice echo in his mind. ' _You know the agreement. It was your freedom for your life.'_

' _I never agreed to that. You chose for me.'_

' _And yet, here you are. This is your decision to accept your title. You can not hold me responsible for your choice. Now will you cower from your choice or stand tall?'_

The Prince took a deep breath. And then another. He then straightened his back, revealing his new towering height and prestige.

' _Honorable.'_ Vader once again spoke, ' _The Emperor will be pleased.'_

' _I am not doing this for your master.'_ The prince responded as his reached the top of the steps coming face to face with The Emperor sitting in a large throne overlooking the crowd with Darth Vader standing beside him.

The Dark Prince humbly bowed before the two men, though no one could tell that he gritted his teeth while doing so.

"Darth Prinz," The emperor's frail voice boomed throughout the crowd through a series of speakers, making the crowd fall silent, "Rise."

Darth Prinz slowly and unsteadily rose from the ground and looked straight into the eyes of the emperor. Vader slowly walked forward. In his hands was a black, silver and gold medal with the imperial insignia with emeralds surrounding the top in the shape of a royal headpiece, much similar to those worn by royalty on the planet of Naboo. Though Prinz had no clue what it looked like.

"I hereby knight you, Darth Prinz," The emperor spoke as Vader pinned the medal onto the Prince's black jacket, right above his heart that was currently pounding rapidly. "The Prince of the Empire and defender of our glorious nation."

The crowd burst into thunderous applause.

Somewhere, far away from this spectacle, as the sun began to set on the planet, a large group of people, all wearing black, hung their heads in mourning on a deserted island of a deserted planet. The small island was crowded with thousands of people but they made no noise. The only indication that there was life was the orange glow from the candles they all carried. They could care less about the ceremony that had captured the attention of everyone else in the galaxy. There minds and eyes, welling up with tears, were focused on a small makeshift altar.

Han heard Chewbacca let out a low, painful cry, staring at the grey slab of rock with a name etched onto it and a pilot helmet on top of it. Han and Chewie were standing the closest to the stone and helmet, in the front row of the ranks, despite both of them being taller than all of the crowd. Leia stood in front of the crowd, dressed in a hauntingly beautiful black dress and an air of depression surrounding her.

When she began speaking, Han could tell that she was trying her best to keep her voice steady.

"As we all know, the rebellion had a great victory at the battle of endor." Leia said, her voice so close to cracking. "That victory came at a cost. The sacrifice made on that day is what we honor today. There is not a person here that is not gravely indebted to this man."

Han noticed that she couldn't bring herself to say his name, though she had every opportunity to. Han knew that she loved him and that his sudden death was taking its toll. And to think he had been so...so angry at him when he had left. Too full of himself to even say goodbye. Too concerned about his own life and his own wants that he didn't even bother to ask where he was going of what his intentions were.

"He was braver than I ever hope to be." Leia continued, "Sacrificing his freedom, his life, for our cause. For the slim chance that he would buy us time. After today, the imperial's and history will know nothing of him. They will call him a traitor. A murderer. A terrorist. But we know, and are the only ones who know the truth. If the galaxy forgets him. So be it. If the galaxy tarnishes his name and image to be a distorted monster of the truth. So be it. If the galaxy rejoices at his death. So be it. Let us not forget what he has done for us."

Han could feel a small, empty tear fall from his eye and down his cheek as he stared at the name carved into the stone like a scar carved into skin that would never heal.

"Let us not disgrace his memory." Leia said, her voice full of power and raw emotion, "Let us remember that he was a hero."

Leia held the candle in her hands up to her face and the crowd followed her example.

"This planet, by decree of the Galactic Alliance, is now protected as a place of highest honor," Leia said, standing straight up and facing the audience once more, "No one is permitted or ever will be permitted to tamper, alter, or destroy any part of this planet and this island. This planet will be the resting place of heros. The resting place of Luke Skywalker."

Leia placed the lit candle she had been holding and placed it on the altar, illuminating the stone in a serine orange glow.

"May the force be with you," Leia said to the altar, silent tears falling onto the grave, though only Han could see and hear her.

Leia stood up, regaining her dignity and strength. She was hiding her sorrow from the mourners the best that she could. She had to remain strong.

"We ask for everyone who wishes to to come up and pay their respects to him at this time." Leia said, her voice plagued with sorrow.

Being Luke's closest friends, Han and Chewbacca were given the honor of being the first to place their candles beside the altar.

"It was nice knowin' ya, kid." Was all Han could muster.

He wanted to say so much more but was just unable to.

Han was 100% sure that Chewie's mournful roar was more meaningful that what he had said.

Everyone else followed after that, each one placing their candles on the grave sight, saying a few words and paying respect to the fallen hero. It went on for what seemed like hours. It wasn't just members of the rebellion in attendance. There were normal citizens, ones that had known Luke personally or by his heroic actions of destroying the first Death Star. Thousands of faces Han didn't recognize and probably faces Luke wouldn't have recognized. Everyone of them mourned his loss and offered their condolences to Leia and Han and anyone else who ever met the man.

Leia and Han held hands for support as they watched the crowd thin, ships leave and the mound of candles and flowers stacking up to a point where they were spilling onto the cobblestone steps and farther. Eventually, after hours and well into the night, Han, Chewie and Leia were left alone to look at the hauntingly beautiful spectacle.

"I wish he were here." Leia said. "Part of me still thinks…"

"You've been looking for him for months." Han said. "He's gone. I wish it wasn't true...but he's gone."

"I wish he could see this." Leia said gazing at the sight of the hundreds of candles lighting the path to the altar, the light reflecting off of the dark water.

"I know." Han said, "I'd be lucky if you showed up to my funeral."

Chewie growled something.

"Then when would be the time to say it?" Han responded.

"I was so sure that he would make it off in time…" Leia said, ignoring his comment and leaning on Han's shoulder for support.

"I was too…" Han said, no longer even trying to make humor out of the situation, "My only question is...why was he on board? He knew we were trying to blow up that thing. How on earth would they be able to capture him. He could easily just chop off the arms of those bucket heads and move on."

Leia remained silent.

"I know you know something." Han questioned her. "But you haven't told anyone."

"His reasons for being on board were personal." Leia responded, rather formally.

"You've said that every time I ask, princess." Han said, "I understand that he was your 'long-lost-brother' but that doesn't explain how they got ahold of him or why he left that night."

"You heard his reasons himself." Leia retorted, "He said that he was endangering the mission."

"Load of Bathna sh-"

"Han!"

"I want answers, your highness." Han angrily mocked, as he always did. "The rest of the rebellion might buy your simple story of 'he died for us' but not me hon. My friend just got blown up by your little rebel group. You are going to give me a good reason on why he was on that ship. Now."

Leia stared at him. He had the right to know. There were risks involved. If anyone realized who Luke had been, he would die a traitor to everyone.

"Alright…" Leia gave in. "But not here. I will tell you on the way back to the base."

"Finally."

"And Han."

"Yes, Princess?" He said with a smug smile, thinking he had won.

"If you tell anyone," Leia said, deadly serious, "you will die."

…

Darth Prinz quickly got the reputation of being the face of the Empire...metaphorically speaking. Like the rest of the highest class of the empire, he wore his face covered, or shielded, only revealing his beautiful and frightening grey eyes. Out of the three leaders of the empire, he was the one who would engage in conversation with the crew, talking with them and not down to them.

He was very odd.

And he was very aware of this.

Darth Prinz had been given direct orders from Darth Vader to not interact with the crew or senators or anyone else unless he needed to. He, not wanting to submit his soul to the Empire just yet, clearly and openly disobeyed this rule.

"Good morning, Commander Annroux." Darth Prinz greeted the man while walking through the halls of the Imperial Star Destroyer Tormentor that morning, heading towards the meeting room for the morning dispatching. "Sleep well?"

"Um...Good morning, Lord Prinz." Annroux said, nervous and confused at his boss' unexpected politeness. "I slept fine, thank you sir."

"Don't lie to me, Commander." Prinz said, casually, "I can clearly tell that you did not sleep well last night."

"How can you tell that, sir?"

"I am strong with the force." Was his simple reply, as if it needed no further explanation. "You must take better care of yourself, commander. Staying up late in an attempt to get the next day's work done only exhausts you."

"Of course sir."

"I was hoping, Commander, that you may be some assistance to me."

"Of course, sir." Annroux said, "The entire fleet is at your command."

"That is unfortunate." Prinz said, "because what I need requires that no one else aboard this vessel knows about it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." The commander said, wondering what confidential information he was about to learn and just how dangerous it was.

"Good. If someone else learns of it the Emperor will have both are heads." Prinz warned in a hushed voice, "I have a need for someone to read what ever printed information is given aloud to me. During this meeting and any other time that I receive printed information."

Annroux was a bit surprised by this request. His mind went wandering to all the possible explanations.

"I can sense that you are confused." Prinz said, casually. "I can assure you that I am not illiterate."

It was then Annroux noticed the man's eyes, the only visible part of his body. They were two unfocused, cloudy grey orbs surrounded by pale, charred flesh. As if someone had cut his several times across his eye lids with a hot knife.

"Your thoughts are correct." Prinz assured him.

"How do you...sorry but may I ask you, sir, how you are able to pilot a ship, as I have seen you do," the commander questioned in confusion, "in that...condition."

"Lord Vader has taught me how to feel objects around me." Prinz said, placing his hand on the ship wall, feeling the cool metal surface beneath his thick leather black gloves, "While his methods were extreme, they were necessary for me to function. In a way, my eyes are more powerful than yours. I can feel every human, every computer, every action, every thought, every breath taken on board. But my condition comes with...some setbacks."

"So you can read minds but not words on paper?"

"I can hardly say I do either." Prinz said. "I am simply able to sense someone's emotions. Someone's moral standpoint. Helps me pick allies I can trust. Can I trust you, Commander?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. If you will follow me, I appear to be late to our meeting." Prinz said, smiling beneath his mouth piece. "Don't worry, it is my fault and none of your own."

The meeting went well. By the end of it, all of the commanders, lieutenants and even the Captain found Prinz to be a most reasonable man, one who made simple requests and gave clear instruction and was not afraid to make a few jokes along the way. While no one questioned his power, his lightsaber mounted to his hip gave clear indication of that, they did not fear him.

As expected, at first, no one questioned Darth Prinz's orders. As was protocol, they did whatever the Fleet Admiral said. But they soon learned that if they asked the man questions regarding his decisions, they would receive more than adequate answers.

"This is a very expensive and unnecessary order." A commander complained loudly to a group of his peers late one night in the council room. "Who put in this demand?"

"That would be myself, commander." Darth Prinz said, entering the room, "Sorry gentlemen to disturb you."

"No...no you're not disturbing us." The commander stuttered in fear. "We were just...just discussing budget problems."

"Ah yes," Prinz said, "We all must bow to the almighty credit at some point. However I myself will be personally paying for the renovations."

"Why, may I ask sir, are you renovating the battle station?" A lieutenant questioned, "There is no details why or what they are for."

"Oh sorry." Prinz said, realizing his mistake and casually laughing. "I forgot to add that in my report. I need the doorways raised. I keep hitting my head on them and a bruise is starting to form on my forehead. I seem to always forget to duck."

A few lower lieutenants began to chuckle along with the fleet admiral.

What was particularly unique about their new leader is the fact that he tried his hardest to make himself feel normal.

"Good evening, Admiral Prinz." An officer greeted him in the meal room one day.

"Good evening, Officer Barak." Prinz responded politely before turning to the other men of the group. "Good evening. May I join you?"

"Of-of course, sir."

Prinz sat down at the edge of the metal bench of the lunch room table, lowered the black cloth covering his mouth, but keeping his helmet on, and proceeded to eat the standard meal that was served in the cafeteria that day.

"So I was lost in the forests of Naboo, separated from the school group." A man, who was clearly on the lower ranks as either a technician or engineer, continued his story, "I walk a few feet forwards and spring a rope trap."

"How did you get out of it?" Prinz asked.

"He didn't." Another man jokingly chimed in. "A farmer came by and rescued his pathetic skin."

"And she became my wife." The man said, "Of course not right at that moment. We hit it off instantly and kept contact when I left. Finally got back to Naboo and just popped the question. What about you, Urikun, how'd you meet yours?"

"I lost a bet to my friend." The man said, taking a drink, "If he won the street race, I would take his little sister out on a date. Turns out that she was actually really funny and didn't mind a military lifestyle. What about you, Prinz? Got a family somewhere?"

"I suppose I do." Prinz responded. "My family is...complicated. My relationship with my father is...problematic at best."

"What about a wife?"

"Hardly," Prinz responded.

"Really? The most powerful man in the galaxy doesn't have a girl?"

"The only girl in my life is my sister." Was Prinz's response as he took another bite. "As for being the most powerful man in the galaxy, I can assure you that I am not. If he wished to, Darth Vader could kill me just as easily and quickly as he could kill you."

"Why would he want to kill you?"

"He has his reasons for wanting to kill me," Prinz said this as if it was no big deal, "But he also has his reasons for keeping me alive. I'm an...investment so to speak. Think of me as a new military weapon."

"How?"

Prinz held out his right arm, removed his glove and then peeled off the flesh of his forearm to reveal a series of wires and gears.

"A robotic arm?" A man questioned. "Those have been around since forever."

"This is not just robotic arm." Prinz said, playing around with the gears inside of it, feeling a tickling sensation run up his arm. "It's the newest in military equipment. I am able to record conversations, unlock almost any electric door, hack into delicate data files and even produce small electric shocks from my palms to stun a human upon my touch."

"That's...frightening." A man said as he watched Prinz put the skin back on his arm.

"I've never seen anything like it…"

"And you probably never will again." Prinz assured. "You have to lose your real arm and be in a very tight circle of people to receive such a...honor. Of course that's not the only 'special feature' I have but if I told you anymore we would all be dead."

With the crew becoming more relaxed around the man, they found themselves asking for more information about his background. None of them expected answers, but they in fact did receive some information. He was born a mandalorian 34 standard years before and slowly gained in favor of the Emperor because of his incredible force power.

By the end of his first week, the crew of the Star Destroyer Tormenter completely trusted and admired their leader. They viewed him as compassionate yet firm. He was almost...human, despite being mostly machine. And for a few months, the fleet and Darth Prinz were at peace.

…

Leia couldn't be sure how Han was going to take the information. Her mind ranged from screaming to crying to running away from it all. But she had not expected him to laugh.

"Yeah Darth Vader is Luke's father," Han said, laughing at her bold statement, "And Jabba the Hutt is my uncle."

"Han I'm not joking…" Leia said, trying to get him to take her seriously.

"How'd did you figure this out?" Han said, mockingly, "Did Luke invite you over for Life Day dinner and Vader was sitting at the head of the table?"

"Han, this isn't funny…"

"Was Luke's metal hand just a family tradition or something?" Han asked, "Like when you turn a certain age you get the body part of your choice cut off and replace with metal?"

"Han!"

"I guess that would make you his daughter as well." Han said, "I assume you opted out of the whole 'metal arm' thing. Or is that a lie too?"

"Han this isn't a joke…"

"Seriously Princess, I don't know how you come up with this stuff." Han said, "If you are going to lie to me at least make it believable, sweetheart."

Leia was fed up with Han's jokes so she slapped him hard across the face.

"Han." Leia said, putting her hands to the sides of his face and forcing him to look at her. "I'm serious. Darth Vader is Luke's father."

Something about the deathly serious look in Leia's eyes made Han realize that she wasn't joking.

"You're...you're not kidding, are you?" Han said, not really knowing how to comprehend the information. "How...how...why...uh...oh man…when?"

"He told me right before he left that night on Endor." Leia said, sitting down beside Han on her couch. "I...I didn't take it well."

"How is it even possible?" Han asked, the information sinking in him like a spacecraft sinking into the ocean, "I thought the kid was some nobody from some desert planet."

"I honestly don't know how…" Leia said, despairingly, "But I know it's true. You didn't see him those months after he learned…"

"Wait he didn't always know?"

"Not from what I understand…" Said Leia, "I am certain he learned in Cloud City, when Vader tried to capture him. He...he changed after that."

"He didn't seemed changed to me."

"You didn't see him those months." Leia said, a depressing frown on her auburn lips, "He would have nightmares. He would scream at night and barely talk during the day. I can't even imagine how it would feel. He was frightened. He was frightened of everything."

"The man with a lightsaber was afraid?" Han pointed out, his eyebrows raised.

"I thought he just wanted some time to himself, so I didn't pester him about why he was avoiding everyone." Leia said, realizing that she should have been there for him more, "But honestly...I think he was afraid of someone finding out. Imagine what would happen if they found out that Darth Vader was his father. Someone would turn on him. I can't even begin to think about how that would have felt: being afraid of the people you trust."

Han couldn't even begin to comprehend about what that must have felt like. While he was a smuggler, it was common practice to not trust anyone. But rebels were very different than smugglers. They cared for each other. Trusted one another. He didn't think they was a situation, besides being an Imperial, where you couldn't trust a rebel. But being the son of Darth Vader… Han hated to admit it but Luke wouldn't have lasted a week if that knowledge had become public. Someone would have wanted revenge.

It would be enough to make anyone turn.

"Would explain why he was acting as dark and moody at Jabba's palace. Never thought I would see the day when that kid would wear black. So was he plotting against us?…" Han said, "I don't believe. The kid would never do something like that."

"He wasn't plotting against us." Leia said, her voice rising in defense. "How could you even say that? He hated Vader"

"And I hate a lot of people but still would do favors for them for the right price."

"We aren't talking about your petty dealings with criminals and gangster!" Leia said boldly. "Luke wouldn't be turned for the entire galaxy...which I am sure Vader offered him."

"I thought Vader wanted him dead."

"He did...but Luke is a powerful force user." Leia said, wringing her hands together. "Vader might have wanted to turn him."

"Are you sure he didn't?"

"Han, you know Luke just as well as I do." Leia said, "I know he was good. I know he was on our side."

"So what happened?" Han said, finally taking her serious. "Why did he leave all of the sudden."

"He wanted to save Vader." Leia said, wrapping her arms around herself, thinking of their final conversation before his death. "He saw good in him and wanted to make him good."

"No wonder he didn't tell me what his plan was," Han said, shaking his head at Luke's foolishness. "I would have pinned him down to keep him from going. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. That bucket head can't 'join the light' or whatever the kid's weird Jedi religion is."

"I should have tried harder to stop him…" Leia said, feeling the guilt of his death weighing on her shoulders, "I was just so focused on myself that I didn't think. I didn't think that...I never could have imagined…"

"So what killed him? Vader or the explosion?"

"Vader is still alive…" Leia said, growing angry at herself and that diabolical monster that was Luke's father, "That monstrous, murderer, blood hungry tyrant either killed him or left him to die."

"So much for fatherly love…" Han said, mourning his dead friend, now fully understanding how he had died and growing angry at the thought.. "Just when I thought the Empire couldn't get any worse. That poor kid. He just wanted to give him a second chance. I can't even imagine what sort of sick person would kill his own kid..."

Suddenly, Han's mind shifted thought.

"Leia, does Vader know about you?" Han asked, nervously, wringing his hands together. "About you and Luke...being siblings?"

"I'm not sure…" Leia said, wondering why that had never occurred to her before. "Luke said that-that I had the same power as he had."

"If that machine comes near you…" Han said gritting his teeth.

"If he wanted me, he would have found me already." Leia said, placing her head on his shoulder, taking his hand.

"Or he has something else planned…" Han said, bitterly, rubbing her hand, "Maybe it's time to…to just..."

"To just what?" Leia asked, knowing exactly what he was going to say.

"To just leave, Princess." Han said, letting out his frustration. "The harder we fight, the harder things get. Luke's gone, the Empire has a death sentence for all of us and Vader could be showing up at our doorstep any moment. With the money I got from the whole 'Jabba' incident, we could be set for a couple years. Think about it princess. You get me all to yourself for all the time you want."

Han gave her his signature smug smile and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know where you get your delusions, laserbrain." Leia said, crossing her arms but Han still had his arm draped around her shoulder. "I'm not leaving the rebellion. I am a leader and I am not stopping till the Emperor and Darth Vader are taken down. I wouldn't leave even if my life depended on it. And I most definitely will not leave for you."

"Come on, hon," Han said, loving the feeling of Leia beside him. "You know you love me."

"Force knows why…"

…

Senator Starkiller of Mustafar was an odd addition to the Galactic Senate. The mining planet had very few residents, namely pirates that didn't want to be found by the authorities. So why it needed representation confused the other members of the Senate. What confused them even more was that they initially assumed the man to be blind due to his strikingly bright and intimidating grey eyes. But that was quickly dismissed upon seeing how confidently he walked and the fact that he never tripped or ran into walls.

He also appeared to walk with a limp, as if each step was hurting him.

Not to mention his complete experience with politics was completely noticeable. He relied on a imperial commander to say something to him before he spoke, as if his words were forced and not of his own opinion. Of course that was not new in the senate. Most, if not all, of the senators were told what to say by some member of the empire's military. It was just odd to see him so open to it.

What confused them the most about the new senator was his uncanny selfless nature.

"It's a pointless waste of resources." Senator Starkiller said in the senate one rainy day. "Senators already have free healthcare, weekly wages that are double the amount that most families make in a year and are fully compensated for any money they spend if it related to their position which includes travel expenses and food. An increase in pay raise for senator wages would not benefit the people we serve."

"You are forgetting, Senator Starkiller," A rather fat senator in luxurious robes said, "that not all of us have factories on the planets we serve which give us our extra credits."

"No I do not forget that." Starkiller responded, "But I also understand that everyday, families in the outer rim go hungry because of lack of funds circulating in the lower levels of Corrusaunt and the rest of the galaxy. Increasing money in the higher class would only further the gap between rich and poor, not lessen it."

It surprised the older senators just how much the new senator reminded them of a long deceased senator from back in the days of the Clone Wars. The older generations of senators found themselves agreeing with the newer senator and helped him pass his bill regarding the freeing of trade routes to increase trade between systems.

They were even more pleasantly surprised to learn that Owenbi Starkiller of Mustafar had been in contact with Darth Prinz (who Starkiller had referred to as an old, close friend) to organize a relief effort for one of the recent battle torn planets in the outer rim, one who had gotten caught in between the rebels and imperials gunfire.

…

Everyone aboard the Tormentor, the flag ship of Darth Prinz's fleet, was panicking and their hearts were beating a bit faster the morning that Darth Vader himself would be coming to inspect Darth Prinz's fleet. Everyone's uniform's were cleaner knowing that they could be buried in that outfit. Everyone stood a bit taller in hopes to go down with honor. Everyone breathed a little deeper as if they were taking their last breath. The fact that Darth Prinz was nowhere within the ranks sent fear rippling in there bodies.

They admired him and knew that he would stand on their side if Vader found something distasteful.

But in truth, though no one knew, he was cowering from Vader in his private quarters, waiting for death to come.

Despite appearing as strong as a warrior and as tall enough to be mistaken as a wookie, Darth Prinz felt like his old self: the small frightened farm boy he had been only...what would it be...only a few months ago.

Darth Vader hadn't made personal face-to-face contact with him since he was assigned to the fleet. He knew that it wasn't a good thing that he would be talking to him once more. Nothing but pain and torment came from talking to him.

When Vader came aboard the flagship, everyone was silent. They didn't question him as he instantly made his way to the Admiral's quarters and made it inside with Darth Prinz. Prayers began being sent in Prinz's name.

The door to Prinz's room closed and the two black clad men stared blankly at one another until Prinz had the courage to speak, his voice cold and crude, completely opposite of how he would talk to his men..

"Hello, father."


	2. Chapter 2: The Inquisitor

Chapter 2 The Inquisitor

"How nice to see you again." Prinz said, continuing in his now cold voice. "What part of my body are you going to have your scientist experiment on me this time?"

"It would be wise to not anger me, boy." Vader spoke in his commanding voice, directed at Darth Prinz who was laying on his couch in his private quarters. "I am hear to deliver the Emperor's compliments. He is pleased with your performance with your temporary command of this fleet. You seem to have complete control over them...despite complete lack of disciplinary tactics. He has also taken notice of your nightly force meditations. You seem stronger with the force than before."

"I am not doing this for him." Prinz said, removing his helmet, revealing his blonde and grey streaked hair and then lowering the black fabric covering his mouth revealing a large scar on his right cheek stretching up along his jaw and towards his ear. "You know my reasons for being here."

"You believe I can be turned." Vader almost sneered, amused at the thought.

"I know you can." Luke said, his voice now softer and a bit higher not being muffled and changed by the mouthpiece, "If you were truly lost, I would be dead."

"The reason you are not dead is because you are powerful." Vader said, not looking at his son's twisted face, "I should have let you die. Despite what the Emperor believes, you have proven nothing to confirm your power. Strong with the force, but so blinded by light."

"You can hardly blame me for not wishing to join your Emperor." Luke said, sitting up straight, "He nearly tortured me to death. I was turned into a science experiment."

"Would you rather be dead then?"

"Definitely."

"What keeps you alive. You have a lightsaber. I am not stopping you from ending your life. Why have you not done so."

"My mission is not yet complete."

"Ah yes, Yoda and Obi-Wan have instructed you to kill me." Vader said, reaching for his lightsaber. "Let's get this over with."

"I will not kill you." Luke said, firmly and determined. "That is not my mission."

Vader attacked anyways. Luke, seeing no other choice, jumped off of the couch, ignited his green lightsaber and defensively battled against his father. The sound of clashing lightsabers did not last long. Luke soon stumbled on his black cape and fell hard on his back, making several loud clanging sounds as his metal coated skeleton hit the floor.

"As expected, you are weaker than before." Vader said, holding his blade to Luke's face. "You still do not have full control over your legs. If you wish to free yourself from me and the Emperor, you will have to do much better than that."

"I will never kill you."

"Then you will forever be my servant. You are fully aware of our agreement. I do not have a preference between your's and your sister's power."

"I know." Luke said, reminded of why he was at his father's beck and call.

"We have an assignment," Vader said, extinguishing his lightsaber and letting Luke get on his feet, "The Emperor has summoned the both of us to Corrusaunt. We leave immediately."

…

Prinz hated Coruscant. His heightened senses could pick up the life force of every being and creature in the city: it was overwhelming. It gave him a massive headache and distracted him from everything. With so much information clouding his mind, he had to solely focus on the movements of Vader who was walking in front of his as a guide. Vader could sense Prinz latching on to his force signature and allowed it, though he would chastise him later for it.

"The Emperor is in his chamber." Vader told Prinz.

"I know. I can sense where he is." Prinz responded, picking up an incredibly powerful force signature.

"When we arrive, you will not speak unless spoken to." Vader commanded, "and when you speak it will be with the highest respect."

"It's hard to respect a man who keeps you imprisoned." Prinz grumbled.

"I should have let you die." Vader responded, as they approached the door where the Emperor sat waiting. "You are more trouble than you are worth."

"I know. You tell me that every chance you get."

Vader pressed his hand to the control panel, opening the door and walked inside the dark chamber, Prinz on his heels. Prinz wished for what seemed like the millionth time that he could see. From what he could sense about the room, it was large with high arching ceilings and thousands of different technological pieces lining the walls.

"Ah Darth Vader and Prinz." The Emperor said.

Vader bowed before the Emperor and Prinz hesitantly did the same.

"Rise, my apprentice and his young prince." The Emperor commanded. "Darth Prinz,"

"Yes, your highness." Prinz said as politely as possible through gritted teeth.

"I see you are walking without a limp now." The Emperor acknowledged, "you have made significant progress in recovering from your injuries. Are you fully operational?"

"Nearly." Prinz responded, knowing that the emperor could care less about what he was feeling and trying not to snap as being referred to as a machine. "I still feel pain along my back. The muscle tissue is still forming around the metal."

"Good. Good." The Emperor said with a sinister smile, "And your eyesight?"

"Permanently gone." Prinz said, trying to control his anger at the thought of what the man permanently did to his body.

"There is no chance of restoring it?" The Emperor said with a voice of fake concern.

"None." Prinz said, his voice shaky, knowing that the monster of a man was just trying to anger him. "My eyesight has no chance of ever returning."

"You seem to have adjusted well." the Emperor sneered, "not at all resentful? You hold no grudges?"

"None whatsoever." Prinz said, trying to convince himself more than the Emperor.

"It is alright to feel anger." The Emperor said, "It's a completely natural emotion."

"I feel no anger." Prinz said.

"Your will is strong." The Emperor said, "you truly are the son of Anakin Skywalker. His will was strong as well. But he broke. As will you. You will live up to your darth title and be a great Sith. You could be more powerful than Darth Vader."

"Thank you, your highness," Prinz said, "But I do not think I can live up to my father's power."

"Possibly not physical power," The Emperor continued, "but your spiritual connection with the force, and your dedication to it, is far greater than Vader's at your age. He relied on his natural abilities. But you seem to take your connection with it seriously."

"It is the only thing that gives me a sense of where I am." Prinz said, knowing that the Emperor already knew this information. "The more I connect with the power, the more I can see."

"How extraordinary." The Emperor said, "You should be proud of him, Vader. He truly has taken your lessons to heart."

"Thank you, my master," Vader remarked, clearly displeased with the progress Prinz made, "But he still has much to learn."

"There is always much to learn," The Emperor said, "you both will learn a lot on the assignment I will be giving to you."

The Emperor got up from his throne and walked towards the two Darths.

"There is a rogue inquisitor who is terrorizing imperial run cities on the planet of Naboo." The Emperor said, "There have been over a thousand reported deaths in the past month, and those are only the ones reported. There has probably been countless others. This usually would not concern me but I will be traveling to Naboo shortly in order to continue working on a new military program. Your mission is to find him and put an end to him."

"Yes, my master."

"Yes, your highness."

"Good." The Emperor said, "You will leave immediately. You have until the end of the week to detain him. Do not fail me. You are dismissed."

…

"What's an inquisitor?" Luke asked, his helmet resting on a control panel as Vader piloted the imperial ship, traveling through hyperspace to the planet of Naboo.

"A jedi hunter." Vader said, his voice unchanging and almost irritated, "They were with me when I started the purge of the Jedi order. Though it seems the one that we are hunting is targeting any force sensitive individual, not just Jedi."

"So you hunted Jedi…" Luke said, leaning back against the chair, "Was I ever on the list?"

"As soon as I learned you were force sensitive, you were put on the top of that list." Vader said this as if it meant nothing. "For a while, your name wasn't even there. You were just listed as RS."

"RS?"

"Rebel scum." Vader continued. "It took over two years before we ever learned your name. You were my focus though: the one I wanted to find myself and end with my own lightsaber."

"You knew that I was your son and you continued to search for me?"

"Learning that you were my son heightened my search for you." Vader said, admitting the slight affection he had for his offspring. "I had my suspicions that you were mine when I learned your last name. Though it was more the false hope of a desperate mind. I was in shock when the Emperor revealed that you were mine, though I hid it well."

"Very well…" Luke said, rubbing his right arm, "Your behavior was very parental on Bespin."

"Do I need to remind you that you were the one who ignited your weapon first?" Vader commented, "Never draw your weapon first: surely Obi Wan must have taught you that. It is a standard practice among the Jedi. I would have gladly told you what you needed to hear without your ignorant and rash behavior. "

" _You know normal parents would punish their kids by not allowing them to have dinner._ " Luke thought.

"I have killed for less, boy." Vader said, clearly hearing his son's private comment. "If you want to keep the remainder of your limbs attached to your body I would do your best to not anger me. Remember, I am the only reason you are still breathing."

" _I thought the piece of machinery in my lungs was what was doing that._ " Luke thought bitterly.

Luke could sense Vader's anger flare dramatically at the unspoken comment.

"Go practice with your weapon." Vader commanded, annoyed with Luke's childish behavior, "Your skills with a lightsaber are equal to a seven year old's."

Luke wanted to say something is response but couldn't come up with anything. Luke slipped the helmet back onto his head and headed out of the cockpit. He had thought that his skills had improved since Bespin, but he was sorely wrong. Vader always toyed with him during combat, he realized that now. A few months ago, Luke would have said the reason for this was because he cared about Luke, but now he understood that it was simply because he wasn't worth the effort.

…

As to be expected, Luke had nightmares that night. He couldn't remember the last time he had been able to sleep a full night. But the knowledge that Vader couldn't sleep either kept him happy out of spite.

"I see you were unable to sleep, boy." Vader said as Luke came into the cockpit simply because he had nowhere else to go.

"It's hard to sleep when there is metal pieces constantly stabbing into your muscles."

"Your muscles will adapt and grow around your new skeleton, just like mine did."

"How long will that take?"

"You should be healed as soon as your sister has her child."

Luke stared at Vader in shock.

"How-how did you know...?" Luke gasped and sputtered, fear rising in his heart.

"You are very terrible at shielding your thoughts." Vader said simply. "This is not helped by the fact that you think about your sister constantly. You two were very close. You share a bond that's strong enough to last through the entire galaxy."

"I would do anything for her," Luke said, his thoughts turning bitter-sweet at the thought of his sister. "I love her. Maybe you've heard of the feeling?"

Vader growled.

"Your attachment to her has made you weak." Vader said through gritted teeth.

"But because of her, you have me." Luke said, reasoning with him, "So long as you stay away from Leia…"

"The Emperor is aware of your sister but is displeased by her firm hold on the light and her complete lack of training." Vader said, making Luke gulp. "While it would be difficult, much more difficult than turning you, it would not be impossible to sway her. You can always be replaced, boy, remember that."

"I am more powerful in the force than my sister." Luke reasoned.

"That doesn't stop her from being immensely powerful." Vader said, "She nearly triples the power of most jedi masters in the time of the old republic."

"You cannot turn me to the dark side by threatening my sister." Luke said, holding his ground. "My loyalties still lie with the alliance and to the light."

"I have not given up on you just yet." Vader said, "The Emperor and I can sense the conflict in you and know you are close to serving the dark side."

"I can sense the light in you." Luke said, knowing that there was still a glimmer of hope and light within his father.

"What you feel is desperate hope." Vader said before changing the subject, "We are approaching Naboo. From there, you have to locate the position of the inquisitor and then I end him."

"Sounds simple enough," Luke said, grabbing his helmet and about to put it on his face.

"You will not wear that on Naboo." Vader said, "Mandalorian helmets are only worn by assassins and will drawn attention to you."

"I currently am an assassin, from a certain point of view." Luke said, the helmet still in his hand. "As well, the helmet hides my scars."

"Your scars will fit in better than that helmet." Vader said, "Why the Emperor forces you to wear that thing I will never understand."

"I thought it was your idea to have me wear a helmet." Luke said, puzzled. "I thought it was a futile attempt to keep my identity hidden."

"The only reason I wear my helmet is to stay alive." Vader said, annoyed at his son's ignorance, "I would die without it. No one would recognize you without your helmet, you look far too much different that what you were. It would be better for the mission if you went as a normal citizen and not a prince."

Luke looked at the helmet in his hands. Truth be told, Luke enjoyed wearing the helmet. Every time he took it off, he exposed the scarred remains of what used to be his face. He never thought himself handsome, but now he felt disgusting. His flesh had been charred by the intensity of the force lightning he had received from the emperor. He could not be sure what his face looked like, but it had to be horrid considering Commander Annroux had to stifle a scream when he caught him without his mask on.

"I will not wear the helmet when we get there, but I will still have it on me." Luke decided finally, placing the helmet in a bag. "What do I need to do in Naboo?"

"Quite simple. You're bait." Vader said, pressing a few buttons on the control panel and preparing to exit hyperspace. "He is targeting force sensitive individuals. You are about as force sensitive as they come. I will be waiting in space until he finds you, then you just communicate with me to give me your location and hold your ground till I arrive."

"What if he kills me?"

"It's a possibility." Vader said, unconcerned, "The Inquisitor in question is very powerful. His form of torture is...unique. He contains a special power that sends most into insanity."

"That's comforting…" Luke said, wondering what the power was and just how painful it would be when it was used against him. "What about the planet. Is it hostil?"

"Not at all."

"Have you been here before?"

Luke was sure Vader was going to strangle him for asking. He could feel Vader's anger rise at the question, as if it brought back painful memories.

"I guess that answers that question…" Luke said, feeling Vader clench his fists to keep himself from strangling him.

There was silence as Luke packed a few things in his bag and wrapped a white parka over his shoulders and across his head. When the planet was in range, Luke made his way to the small second ship to land on the planet. He was about to take off, still amazed that he was able to pilot a ship while blind, when he felt Vader's pressense behind him.

"Your mother was from Naboo." Vader admitted, but the words weren't kind in anyway. They were bitter and cold.

Luke's head perked up. He had been with his father for months and not once had Vader mentioned his mother. That single comment brought up a million questions regarding everything, though he knew better than to press Vader for answers.

Luke silently took off from the ship, heading towards the peaceful looking green and blue planet, a million questions sparked in his mind by a single answer.

…

It felt strange to be amongst the normal again. For the past few months he had been either a prince or a prisoner. He was either being tested on like a science experiment or being praised by adoring crowds. There was no inbetween. It was hard to tell which one he hated more.

He didn't know how long it would take before the inquisitor got whiff of his force signature. It was a large planet. Vader suggested that it might take weeks before he comes face to face with the inquisitor. Of course, they didn't have weeks. They barely had a week.

So using common sense, Luke found the most populated part of the planet, with the most crime rates and where the most recent attacks had been. From there, he just decided to walk around the city and wait for an assassin to try to stab him in his back.

" _This is so pointless."_ Luke thought to himself as he made his way down an alley, trying to flirt with his own death.

Eventually, night fell on the city though Luke could only tell by the colder temperature. For the millionth time, he missed his eyesight. He remembered all of the sunset's he had scene on tatooine, the colors of amber and gold and fuschia mixing together in a breathtakingly display of fleeting beauty before it fell into the earth, overcome by inky blue night sky. He would never see them again.

" _Stop thinking about it."_ Luke told himself once more, hoping that this time the speech would work, " _you need to let go. Focus on what you are doing now...trying to get myself killed."_

" _I am sorry about your eyesight."_ Vader said, and Luke could tell that he was being sincere. " _My master is a cruel man. He breaks his victims down, destroying what they care for the most and taking the rest of them until they are nothing more than a hollow version of themselves."_

" _Umm...thanks."_ Luke thought, " _I didn't...I didn't know you were reading my mind."_

" _Your soul is like an open book."_ Vader continued, " _it was foolish of Obi Wan to not teach you how to shield your mind from mine. It should have been the first thing he taught you."_

" _Are you offering to teach me?"_ Luke questioned.

" _You are my...apprentice,"_ Vader said, hesitating at the word 'apprentice', " _you should be able to block your mind from other force users."_

" _Than-thank you."_ Luke said, taken aback by the offer.

" _Now back to your mission."_ Vader instructed, " _Remember, notify me as soon as you find him. Keep your ground long enough for me to find you."_

Luke didn't hear from his father for the rest of the night. Dawn eventually broke, only known by the fact that people began coming out of their homes and the air grew warmer. Surprisingly, Luke did not feel tired after being awake for a standard day. But he knew that he needed to at least eat. He went a little outside of the city into an open forest, one where families were picnicing in the meddows and swimming in the lakes.

While he nibbled on some biscuits he had packed with him, he took notice of a family nearest to him. A man and woman were laying side by side, keeping a loose eye on their two children who were playing near the woods. Figuratively , of course. He could sense their movements. He could sense them running and climbing on rocks and attacking each other with branches.

" _That could have been us."_ Luke thought, hoping his father was listening to his thoughts, " _We could have lived together like one happy family."_

" _While I will not deny that my descent into darkness would have been problematic for our family,"_ Vader admitted, " _It was Obi-Wan and Yoda who kept me from you. Remember that."_

Luke didn't hear from his father for the remainder of the evening, just silently thinking about what he had said.

The two children began to climbing on trees. He could feel their free and carefree spirits swinging from branch to branch. He flexed his arm, feeling the joints in his elbows ache terribly. His arms and legs were always in a state of constant pain, but todays seemed to be worse. He was a weapon. A weapon that hadn't been used in some time.

The little girl lost her grip on the branch, falling a great height. Without thinking, Luke focused his energy on her, slowing her fall and saving her life. He sat in silence, unmoving and unnoticed as the parents rushed to their two children, chastising them for being so careless but also showing their deep concern and relief for them.

Luke sat there long after the family had left the meadow. He tried to repress his bitter feelings. If he was a Jedi, like he claimed he was, he wouldn't feel angry. He would only know peace.

When he felt night come, he felt a presence approaching him. A force user. A powerful force user. Luke knew that it was the inquisitor he was hunting. Though he heard the footsteps of impending danger, he couldn't run. He had to face the inquisitor. He could win. He would.

"I had a feeling I would meet you eventually, Darth Prinz."

The inquisitor's voice was cold, crude and almost playful. Having lost his eyesight, Luke had paid far more attention to the sounds of people's voices. You could tell a lot about a person from how they talked. His father's...well there was nothing else like it. It was cruel, raspy and broken. You could tell part of his story by his voice. The Inquisitor's voice was unhinged. Like he himself was not all put together. Something was off about him.

Luke stood up, knowing that he towered above the man. The one good thing to come out of his injuries was his new height. Now he only felt like a pathetic farm boy.

"How did you find me?" Luke questioned, trying to buy himself some time before their impending battle to the death.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" The inquisitor said, his voice light and playful: like he was smiling. "Did you want to meet me? And kill me? The Emperor sent his little errand boy to kill me correct?"

He heard the sound of a lightsaber being ignited.

"You're not denying it." The inquisitor smirked. "And if I were to guess, considering you haven't drawn your weapon, you were just the bait."

Luke grabbed hold of his lightsaber and ignited it. He heard the inquisitor let out a small gasp and then a laugh.

"A green lightsaber?" The inquisitor placed heavy emphasis on the color as if he was both surprised and amused by it. "You aren't even a dark side user. Or even pretending to be. How pathetic."

The inquisitor rushed forward, his blade aimed for Luke's torso. Luke could easily sense his clunky and unrefined steps and blocked the attack. As usual, Luke played defensive, unable to make accurate offensive moves. Being blind had turned him into a true jedi: unable to attack unless solely out of defense.

The inquisitor's sloppy and unrefined way of battling confused Luke. In the heat of the battle, Luke understood the inquisitors intentions of this fighting style. It was supposed to confuse his opponent. Luke was unable to predict where the attacks would come from, making defensive a hard way to fight.

But it was his only option.

The inquisitor's blade nipped Luke's arm. The hot, almost electric sting of the lightsaber was enough to break Luke's concentration for an instant. But it only took an instant for the inquisitor to slice Luke from the thighs down.

Luke fell to the floor of the meadow, feeling the grass tickle his back. He felt no pain in his legs. The nerves in the prosthetics had been severed by the lightsabers cut.

"Prosthetics." The inquisitor said, noticing the metal and wires protruding from Luke's body and the now severed limbs. "So this isn't the first time you have sorely lost a lightsaber battle. Good to know. Now, before I dispose of you, I would like to know exactly who you are. Makes it so much more fun for me that way. I always dispose of force users this way."

The rogue inquisitor held out his hand, connecting to the force and reaching inside his mind. Luke attempted to block him from looking inside his thoughts, but the intrusion was like nothing he had felt before. While with Vader the mind probe was natural, almost comforting, the inquisitors was excruciating. Like he had taken a knife and scalped him in order to look into his mind.

Memories flooded into Luke's mind, unwillingly and unwantedly. The inquisitor studied every memory that had shaped his identity. His kind deeds and helpful nature as he was a moisture farmer on Tatooine. Coming home to find his Aunt and Uncle dead. Meeting and saving Leia, his long lost sister. Blowing up the Death Star and becoming the murderer of millions. Bespin…

The inquisitor stopped his search in shock. He retreated a step or two, stumbling with the new information. Then, like he had done before upon seeing Luke's lightsaber color, he laughed.

"You?." The inquisitor laughed cruelly and maddenly with each word, "You are the son of Darth Vader? You?"

Luke cringed. He hated being referred to as such. He was more than just his tainted bloodline. He didn't want to be the son of that-that monster.

"Luke Vader." The inquisitor said, trying to guess what Luke called himself. "No-no Luke Skywalker. The pilot that destroyed the Death Star that Vader became obsessed with. I guess I now know why."

The inquisitor bent down to look at Luke a bit more closely. He placed two fingers under Luke's chin and forced him to look up.

"You're blind." The inquisitor said, curious. "Your eyes are grey, unfocused. No wonder your father hides you existence."

"He doesn't want me for a son." Luke admitted, "And I don't want him as my father. We both agree on that."

"What a waste." The inquisitor, disappointed. "You are one of three descendants of the force and yet you don't seem to take pride in it. You could be unstoppable."

The inquisitor let loose actually force lightning this time, curious to see how Luke would react.

Descendant of the force...Luke had no idea what he meant by that. He was in too much pain to think about it.

"I can sense your fear, young Skywalker." The Inquisitor said, circling the imobil boy once his attack had stopped. "You don't like Force Lightning. It is a valid fear: you'd be idiotic to not fear it."

The Inquisitor let loose a storm of force lightning and watched in sadistic joy as Luke squirmed on the floor, wriggling like a worm on a hook.

"But you fear it more than most." The Inquisitor continued, "You've lived through the impossible young Skywalker. But only because of luck. You are rather pathetic. You are not worthy of the titles handed to you. You are no Jedi. You are no Sith. And you are most definitely no Prince. Your father is right about you, you know."

Luke cringed as the Inquisitor emphasized the word 'father'.

"You hate him." The Inquisitor said, interested in the complicated relationship between Vader and his young son, "but you also love him. Though you won't admit either."

The Inquisitor placed his hand under Luke's chin, and tilting his head up to face him.

"Don't try to hide." The Inquisitor said, sickly sweet. "I can see your memories. A very special skill for a force wielder. Much like your ability to find your way in the dark. I can see everything that has happened to you...feel everything that has happened to you. And force you to relive it all: every sorrow,"

Luke saw an image of Leia and him staring into space shortly after Han's imprisonment and his own understanding of what he was. The memory marked a change in Luke from that point on. A dark change.

"Every heartbreak."

Luke was forced to remember Leia's look of utter disgust when he told her of his parentage. It-it had broken his heart to see her look at him like that. After everything they had been through together, after the strong friendship they had built, she still looked at him like he was a monster. While her understanding, love and acceptance soon came after, her first reaction would haunt him forever. It didn't help that it was one of the last things he would ever see in this life.

"Every torture."

Luke jolted violently as he remembered the force lightning the Emperor had used on him in the Throne room. It was excruciating then and, if possible, was even worse now.

"And every grief you have withstanded."

Luke remembered the events after the lightning...no. No he would **not** remember what happened afterward. He refused to remember that. With all of the energy in his body, he fought against the inquisitor's savage and excruciating mind probe.

"I seemed to have stumbled on a particularly painful memory." The inquisitor said, delighted in the pain he was causing Luke. "I would say it's your most painful memory. Now what is it. The Emperor...He wanted you dead. Force lightning was always his favorite way to torture his victims to death."

"Don't…" Luke said, the images of the event playing through his mind, being forced there by the Inquisitor, the pain from the lightning surging through his veins though the inquisitor was not firing the attack: the pain from the memories was becoming real through the rogue inquisitor's inhumane power.

"You don't want to relive your transformation, young Skywalker?" The Inquisitor said, laughing a bit as he watch Luke began to tremble from the memories flowing through his mind and torturing his body.

"Stay...stay out of my mind." Luke commanded, his voice cracking from the pain and fear he felt shaking his soul.

"You aren't really in a position to make demands," The Inquisitor said, grinning at his foolish behavior. "You disappoint me really. I thought our fight would have been longer: more entertaining. You are younger than I thought you would be. So frail. So fragile. You are a weak child. Not what I would expect from a product of Anakin Skywalker. No wonder the Emperor wished to terminate you: even if you had joined his ranks, you would have been dead weight. Oh yes I see it. I can hear it. Feel it. Your skin feeling as if it was on fire from the electricity. The bones in your arms and legs shattering like glass from the pressure."

Luke was trembling violently now, not able to keep the memories and agony at bay. He was living through it all over again.

"Do you hear it, young Skywalker?" The Inquisitor spoke, "The sound of the Emperor's blade igniting. Do you smell it? The smell of burning flesh as he slashed at your eyes, eliminating any hope of seeing again. He was always one to play with his victims...he loved breaking them. Twisting their bodies and souls into horrendous, unrecognisable forms. You looked like the remains of a slaughtered animal when the Emperor told Vader to kill you."

"Get out of my mind!" Luke said, his anger flaring.

"Ah yes the infamous Skywalker temper." The Inquisitor pointed out, "You believe I fear your father? He does not intimidate me and neither do you. You were rather weak you know. Pleading for your father; begging him to save you; imploring him to save your worthless skin. Pathetic. Now what are you trying to hide...oh how...interesting. He pleaded for your life."

"Stop!" Luke said, breaking down.

"No I am much to entertained by this." The Inquisitor sneered. "Oh what a sight: Darth Vader, the murderer of millions and the most feared man in all of the galaxy, bending down and and taking you in his arms."

"Enough!"

"Oh how touching." The Inquisitor said, so close to Luke's face, "You were still trembling from the lightning. You were so desperate for any sort of comfort. Don't you remember? How you used the last bit of energy you had to embrace your father? You clung onto him. And he was weak enough to embrace you back."

"You will regret this…" Luke grumbled, his voice cracking from fear and anger and agony.

"Much like how the Emperor regrets not killing you?" The Inquisitor said. "I know you are his favorite now, though I don't see why. He was so furious when your father carried you aboard...so enrage when Vader demanded you live. He declared the your fate would be the same as theirs. You...you were happy. Ecstatic. You smiled at him, thinking that he had returned to the light."

The Inquisitor paused for a moment.

"You thought he cared." he finally said, laughing a bit while he said the words that broke Luke's heart. "For a brief moment, while your small, scrawny, frail, dying form rested in his arms as he carried you like a child, you thought he loved you."

It hurt that the inquisitor could make him feel happy at the memory. He vaguely wished that it could stay. Luke began to cry at the memory, knowing exactly how it would end.

"You thought it was over." The Inquisitor said, continuing to mock Luke and his childish wishful thinking. "That you had won. The Death Star was destroyed and you felt so safe with your father. And then...oh it all came crashing down on you. You were beyond repair...at least by a natural healing. You were paralyzed in your legs, your bones and nerves broken beyond repair. They did even ask if you wished to be confined in a wheelchair or given metal legs. Vader ignited his lightsaber and dealt with it himself."

Luke heard his own scream from the memory ricocheting in his head at the memory of his father severing his limbs off with the electric sting of his father's lightsaber surging through his legs. He unwillingly grabbed his legs in a futile attempt to stop the pain the Inquisitor inflicted onto him.

"He made you powerful." The Inquisitor continued. "You were given new legs and arms that made you taller. Well built. I would do the same if I had a son who was as scrawny and weak as you had been. You screamed endlessly during the procedure. They didn't give you anything to dull the pain."

"Stop…" Luke said, his voice growing weak and desperate.

"No this is far too much fun." The Inquisitor said before his voice changed to be one of false sympathy, "While you were in agony, you blindly reached out your barely function hand, the one you had lost on Bespin actually, wanting your father to take it. You wanted something to hold on to. How touching."

"It doesn't matter! I was delusional!" Luke pleaded through tears, curling his head down so he faced the floor, wishing the man would end the torment of the memories of physical and emotional anguish. "Don't. Please...stop."

"You could feel his eyes on you." The Inquisitor said with a sneer. "He just watched you writhe around in agony as you became a machine. Eventually you gave up and fainted. You woke only when your helmet was being placed on your head."

Luke broke at the memory. His tears were uncontrollable, falling from his lifeless grey eyes and onto the cave floor. His body was violently trembling as if he was being electrocuted by the Emperor's purple lightning.

"I've always wondered," The Inquisitor said, gripping Luke's shoulder, his nails embedding themselves deep into his flesh, "how it feels to be less than human. Tell me, what's it like? How does it feel to know that they only thing keeping your self breathing is a machine? The only thing allowing you to walk is a lifeless piece of metal inside of your body? Knowing that any moment you can be turned off like an engine of a fighter after finishing it's last battle?"

Luke was both unwilling and unable to talk. The Inquisitor already knew what it felt like: endless torture.

Luke lost control.

In a violent motion, Luke sent the Inquisitor flying off of him. Using the force, Luke held the man in the air by his throat. It felt so right. It felt right to make the man who had made him suffer immensely feel agony and fear. It felt right to get vengeance on the man who had mocked him.

"You were foolishly to underestimate me." Luke growled, still lying near dead on the floor, drawing his strength from his wounds and hatred. "Just because I am a Jedi does not mean I won't defend myself."

The Inquisitor struggled, gasping and gagging as Luke gripped his neck tighter.

It felt right to hear the man's neck crack and his body hit the ground.


	3. Chapter 3: Healing

Chapter 3 Healing

Despite the inquisitor being dead, Luke still felt as though he was in agony. He had tried to forget everything that had happened that ended in him being in this position: a blind machine and the Emperor's personal errand boy.

Luke laid in a pathetic heap on the meadow, his body trembling from pain and fright. He understood Vader's warning. The inquisitor's power was brutal, especially to those with dark pasts. Making his victims relive their worst memories. And not just a mental relive. Physically too. His arms and chest still felt the force lightning surging through them, powerful enough to shatter bones.

It was not his bones he was worried about though. The electricity he had been hit with had damaged the machines within him. Those machines were the only thing keeping him alive: keeping his heart beating and his lungs breathing. His breathing was already labored. His chest would shake rapidly with each breath and a horrific wheezing was coming from his throat.

He tried to move on his arms but he soon gave up. There wasn't a point in trying to move. In an hour or two his father would find him. He would be returned to a military medical facility and his metal legs would be replaced again. And then he would go back to being the Emperor's pet.

And he couldn't get the thought of how he had choked the man to death...in anger...

Not for the first time, and certainly not the last, Luke wanted to die. He hated being so helpless.

Luke laid there, listening to the sound of his own deteriorating and raspy breath. He was tired of waiting in silence. It was torture waiting in a senseless state. Nothing to hear but his breath which reminded him of what he was: a machine. Nothing to touch except the prickly grass which he was lying on. Nothing to see except the darkness that covered his eyes. Out of desperation. He began talking to himself so that the silence wouldn't drive him crazy.

"L-L-Leia." Luke whispered her name, as he often did when ever he was in agony. "L-L-Leia. I-I-I'm s-s-sorry."

What he wouldn't do to see her again. She was the last friendly face he saw. He could remember everything about what happened that day in Endor. Her long brown hair finally loose and down and free after so much time being up in tight buns. The loose light brown tunic she wore. How she looked so happy: so at peace.

He especially remembered the look she gave him when she learned what he truly was.

"L-L-Leia." Luke wheezed; it hurt to talk. Every word spoken was like a knife being stabbed into his heart. "I-I l-love y-you."

He had connected with her through the force so that she could hear his words. He needed her to know that. Hopefully he had been strong enough that she had heard him.

Using the force, Luke had his lightsaber drawn to his hand.

"Luke," He heard a familiar and friendly voice say. "Don't."

"Ben." Luke choked, coughing up what he assumed was blood, just like he had done when the Emperor tortured him.

"I know what you plan on doing with that saber." Obi Wan warned. "If you do what I know you want to do, everything you have fought for will be nothing. The Darkside will forever had the galaxy. Forever hold your father."

"I don't w-w-want t-t-to s-save him." Luke almost growled.

"You're lying." Obi Wan said, "You care about him."

"He could die for all that I care." Luke said, his temper spiking, giving him a sense of strength.

"Beware anger." Obi Wan reminded him. "It will be your downfall. And his. And the galaxy's."

"I-I don't w-want th-this." Luke said, bitterly.

"I know." Obi wan said, almost mournfully.

Obi placed a ghostly hand on Luke's chest. Luke shivered at the warm feeling spreading through his chest. It's amazing how much comfort the feather like touch could bring. It instantly calmed Luke.

"You will know when it is you time." Obi Wan sai, wisdom whining in his voice, "You will know when you have fulfilled your purpose and you will be at peace. As I was when I gave myself to the force."

Luke didn't respond. He just laid there quietly, allowing himself to relax and try to find peace in the force.

"Beware the Darkside that surrounds you." Obi Wan warned, almost affectionating. "Do not let it into you. Be brave."

The warm feeling vanished in chest and he knew that Obi Wan had left him.

And that another person was approaching.

Luke's heart rate increased.

"You killed the inquisitor." Darth Vader said, looking down on his dying son. "Didn't think you could actually do it."

Luke didn't respond. He almost prefered it when he was alone. Though at the moment it seemed that he needed him.

"It seems you are more powerful than I thought." Vader said, walking over to inspect the dead body of the inquisitor.

" _Talk to him."_ He heard Obi Wan's voice say in his mind. " _Release your anger. Don't hold onto it any longer."_

"Come on, young one." Vader said, completely unphased at the violent sight before him.

Vader's calm voice faded when he took a good look at his son. He soon recognized that Luke had coughed up large amounts of blood.

"Prinz?" Vader questioned, a small amount of concern in his voice.

Luke's body went limp.

"Luke!" Vader shouted.

Vader found himself rushing to his side, overcome by the sheer thought of losing him.

Vader bent down and picked up the dying man and carried him towards his ship.

…

Luke's toes fanned out, fighting the instinct to curl up from the cold, metal floor of the room that was his prison. He held his arms out awkwardly and unnaturally. His knees were bent as if to make the ground closer to not injure himself as badly when he would fall.

Every part of him was quivering as if he was being shot with an electric pulse, which he was all too familiar with. Everything was in motion. Everything except his eyes which were fixed on an unknown location in space, unmoving and unsettling. As if a demon had possessed his body and was still unsure of how to control a human body discreetly. He took a breath, his arms and legs trembling more violently as he exhaled, and then proceeded to take a step.

His foot never left the floor. He did not dare give up the small comfort of touch. The pads of his feet simply slid tentatively across the frictionless floor. When his foot and leg had stretched far enough, he repeated the endeavor with the other ganguly leg. His chest heaved in anxiety as he took a third step. Then a forth. Then a fifth and so on. He amusingly thought that he probably resembled a flightless bird, desperate to fly, opening its wings but its feet trudging through the thick mud that kept him grounded.

A flightless bird...oh what a horrid thought. A bird without flight. A fish without water. A Skywalker without the force. The thought made him shudder.

Unfortunately it was true, to an extent.

He was unsure why (but certainly had a number of theories), but he could no longer feel the force. He was in the dark in more ways than one.

Thank goodness he was no longer a Skywalker in name. That name...he no longer wanted it. It had been a hard pill to swallow, considering their was a time when he had proudly said his name, even boasted it, but he no longer wanted anything to do with it.

He was just Luke now. Just Luke. That what he wanted to be.

His spider like hands felt a wall. He found himself pressing against it in relief, gripping the surface in desperation and pride. He hated that he felt proud that he had made it across the room without tripping or his legs going out. He hated that the touch of the cold, unfeeling, glossy wall made him feel comfort.

He let out a relieved, some might have said even happy, sigh right before he heard the door on the other wall open with a hiss of air. But it was the sound of labored breathing and the faint sound of clanking metal gears beneath flesh like fabric that made Luke's heart sink, any joy vanishing in an instant.

"Late night practice, I see?" The machine who had entered spoke with a cruel voice that made Luke repress a whimper.

"Yes." Luke responded, trying to hide his fear with fake confidence and knowing very well not to lie to him. He could tell if he did.

"You'll get nowhere by just walking between two walls." The Lord remarked.

"Considering this is as far as I've been able to walk in the past month." Luke retorted, his voice full of pain, hate, betrayal and defiance, "I consider this an accomplishment. It's much farther than I've been able to walk with your guidance."

"An accomplishment…" The Lord almost sneered in disgust at the distasteful word Luke had used. "You, once a great warrior and pilot, a boy with more power coursing through his veins than anyone else in the galaxy, are proud that you were able to cross a room? Pathetic. Disgraceful. You should be ashamed that you are just now no longer crawling on the floor like a maggot."

Luke clenched his jaw at the remark.

"And whose fault is that?" Luke spoke through gritted teeth but loudly and clearly so that his captur could hear.

"No one's but your own's." The Lord remarked, his fist clenched. "You had a choice. And you chose poorly."

"Of course." Luke said, turning away from the monster in the doorway. "It's my fault for existing."

"You are lucky to be alive." The Lord said, "but you treat it as if its a curse. I command you to stop this childish behavior."

"You command me?" Luke almost laughed, but he was far too broken to show his amusement. "What am I to you? A misbehaving foot soldier?"

"Yes." The Lord said, coldly and instantly, no signs of affection within his voice. "Like it or not boy, you are an Imperial now. You serve the Emperor. And I outrank you."

"I didn't know that lords outranked Princes within the empire." Luke said, trying to get the warden angry. "Isn't that what you called me? A prince? The Emperor sure likes to call me that. It's what you both want me to become. Don't you remember?"

The Lord didn't respond. But Luke could tell that he had gotten under his skin.

"I mean...I am the son of a Queen." Luke said, knowing that once he said that, there was no going back.

Luke felt his body turn stiff and rigid, like a board. He thought that he was going to fall forward but found himself hovering above the floor, though he could not tell how far he was above the ground. All he knew was that his feet were no longer touching the floor. And by the slight currents of air he felt against his skin, he had a feeling he was being pulled towards the Lord.

While unable to see, he knew that he was now kneeling in front of the Lord, his body now touching the ground though it brought him little comfort. Luke felt sudden agony across his cheek, causing him to turn the other way and nearly falling over. It didn't take too much to put together that the Lord had hit him with the back of his metal hand.

Luke refused to try to comfort the injured area of his face. He wouldn't give the Lord the pleasure of knowing that he had succeeded in causing him pain.

"If you wish to be treated like a prince," the Lord said, grabbing the boy by his hair and holding him up to his masked face, "you might want to start acting like one."

The Lord brutally thrusted Luke by his hair onto the cold floor that now brought him pain instead of comfort. No doubt Luke would wake up with another nasty bruise on his leg and/or back.

"Get up." The Lord commanded the young man like a dog.

Luke remained on the floor.

Luke was struck again.

"I don't ask twice boy." The Lord spoke with a voice that made Luke shiver more violently than he had while he was stranded in the frozen dessert of Hoth. "Stand."

Like a dog, Luke obeyed his master and, though shaking and unstable, stood. If he was going to be killed by this machine (which was possible but unlikely) he would do it standing.

Though even while thinking that, Luke knew he was being a coward in obeying the cruel machine. He wanted to be brave enough to just let the Lord beat him to death...maybe even be merciful enough to kill him with his saber to make the job a bit more bearable.

It had been like this for what seemed like weeks. Luke, being the only person in the galaxy that could do so and come out breathing, would disobey and insult the dark lord but eventually give in. But Luke would abuse his power any chance he got, even if it would always end with him mindlessly obeying and running away with his tail between his legs.

"Since you clearly wish to further your 'training'," The Lord said, coldly, "Then let's practice here and now."

Luke Felt the ground beneath his feet begin to shift and tremble like an earthquake, bending and breaking through the force of the force that the machine wielded. Luke knew what was to come: he had been put through it only a few hours ago. He let out an exasperated and hopeless sigh, almost like a whimper, knowing full well that he would fail what was to come. He fell once more as the ground beneath his feet became different heights. He landed on a jagged part of the new flooring, scraping his feet and legs. The wounds were fairly deep but no blood was spilt.

"Connect to the force." The Lord reminded Luke the rules of his 'game', "You'll feel all the opticals in your path."

"You know the only thing I can sense is you." Luke reminded him.

"You must learn to not lean on my presence in the force." Vader said, no affection within his words. "Now walk."

Luke tried his hardest to connect to the force. He tried to feel the floor that he was standing on to see where the opticals where. It was in vain. After few hesitant steps towards Vader, Luke tripped over something (he had no idea what it was) and feel onto the floor.

This continued for hours. Whenever Luke got anywhere near Vader, he would switch positions making it clear that Luke was except to weave his way through the maze as well as to catch up with the machine.

Of course, it never happened.

After hours, with Luke acquiring several more bruises and cuts, Vader sent him to the medbay since Luke had lost consciousness from exhaustion.

...

Luke opened his eyes to darkness. His heart was pounding against his chest as the memory of his father's torturous training methods racked through his mind. Instinctively, his hand went to his chest, where a particularly memorable scar was.

He felt better...which wasn't saying much. While he could feel that his legs were heavy (indicating that the prosthetics had been replaced but had yet attached themselves to his damaged nerves) and his breathing was back to normal (if you could call it that), he was still in pain. Though he guessed he should have been used to it by now.

"You're awake." Vader said, almost surprised.

"Unfortunately yes." Luke grumbled, his voice hoarse.

"I am rather impressed in how you killed the inquisitor." Vader complimented. "They are difficult to over power, even when you are not disabled. Impressive."

Luke didn't respond, having nothing to say to him. He simply massages his leg, trying to loosen the tension in his legs. He let out a slight gasp at the pain stretched throughout his legs.

"It'll take a little while for your legs to become opperatable again." Vader said, his voice almost unconcerned. "Two weeks at most. They had to remove the previous wires attached to your legs: they were too damaged to work with."

"Good to know." Luke muttered.

"You almost died." Vader said, wondering what it would take to get a reaction from him.

"I know." Luke said, so calm that it made Vader uneasy.

"You were foolish to not fight back until the last minute." Vader chastised, his voice angry but in control. "I could feel you in pain. But you did nothing to stop it. You would have died if you continued to be passive."

"That's why you're here." Luke said bitterly. "Wouldn't want to lose one of the Emperor's pets. Had to make sure I was alive so I could keep serving the Empire. Should have known."

"I nearly tore the galaxy apart to find you," Vader said, a spark of light and love in his words. "And I would have done it a thousand times over again if I needed to. "

Luke gave a cold laugh.

"Once again pretending that you actually care about me." Luke scoffed. "We both know you're lying."

"I didn't kill you." Vader reminded him. "I didn't let him make me kill you."

"Why didn't you?" Luke spat bitterly, "I was in agony! I didn't want to become your Emperor's servant. I wanted to die! I was prepared to die by your hand! It would have been a mercy killing!"

Luke took a shaky breath.

"But you didn't." Luke whimpered. "You kept me alive...And I was foolish enough to believe it was because you loved me. But you don't. I'm just an object to you. An object that you can break and rebuild whenever you want to."

Luke flexed his robotic arm for emphasis, making sure that they both her the clanking of the metal gears underneath the fake flesh.

"I would be able to handle you abusing me." Luke muttered, "But how you throw in random acts of mercy...some might call it kindness...that's what really tortures me. Because when you do that...I can't help but try to love you…"

Vader stared at the boy who was now crying openly. Vader felt pain pierce his heart. He recognized the feeling as guilt. That horrible feeling was one of the main reasons why he had remained on the darkside for so long. You felt no guilt on the darkside. But everytime he felt the tug towards the light, guilt would eat at his core.

But looking down at the broke remains of his son...he could no longer deny the truth.

"It's easier to pretend that my son is not behind that mask." Vader finally admitted, "Much like it's easier to pretend that it's not Anakin Skywalker behind mine. I don't want to imagine that beneath all the machinery and wires is the heart of my son. And I most definitely do not wish to have to face the fact that it's my fault."

Vader placed his hand beneath Luke's chin. He couldn't help but noticed how Luke trembled at his touch. He had every right to be afraid.

"But never doubt that I love you." Vader whispered, affection filling his voice for the first time.

Luke blinked several times in shock. His father had never shown any sort of affection that wasn't masked in threats and/or bruises. To openly say something like that…

Luke swallowed.

"You-you love me?" Luke stammered.

"Yes, my son." Vader said, his thumb rubbing the bottom of Luke's chin.

"Then…" Luke said, turning away from Vader's touch. "Then never say that again."

Vader backed away from Luke and stared at him in confusion.

"If you-you care about me…" Luke said, his head facing the floor. "You will never say that again. Because no matter what you do...no matter how much you hurt me...I'll believe you if you say that."

Vader stared at Luke in amazement and sadness. He ultimately had to love Luke enough to let him hate him.

"I agree." Vader said, his voice returning to the cold voice it had been before. "But hopefully...in time...my actions will prove it to you."

Luke scoffed.

"That'll be the day." Luke muttered.

Luke, tired of helplessly lying on a bed, swung his feet over the side of the cot. He attempted to hoist himself up, but his arms gave way.

"Once again you find yourself in a position where you require my assistance." Vader said, offering his hand to Luke.

Luke stared at his father's outstretched hand, remembering the first time he had done so only over a year previous. The memory pained him: clinging to a piece of metal, hanging over an endless pit, in agony. His father had offered his hand their as well.

But this was different. This wasn't for power. It was for something else. He was trying to prove himself.

Luke hesitantly placed his hand in Vader's.

Using his other hand, Vader grabbed Luke by the arm and hoisted him to his feet. He placed his hand on Luke's back, preventing him from falling as Luke steadied himself.

"One step at a time." Vader advised. "Your new prosthetics will take a little while to form a connection with your damaged nerves."

Luke sloppily and clunkily took a step forward. His knee instantly buckled and he would have hit the floor had it not been for Vader's firm grip on him.

"Try again." Vader instructed, his voice ever so slightly encouraging and kind. "I will not leave until you can walk again."

Luke wanted to protest. He was a Jedi knight, capable of amazing physical abilities: he should be able to walk on his own. But he knew it was futile. Part of him enjoyed the attention, no matter how embarrassing.

"You know," Luke said once he was able to take a few steps forward on his new legs without buckling, "we really need to find ways to spend time together that don't involve assassination missions or one of us being gravely injured."

Vader gave a slight laugh. You might have has mistaken it for a cough.

"We are powerful force users," Vader said, a bit of sadness and happiness in his voice at the thought of him and Luke having normal outings together. "Don't expect much quiet time in our lives."

Luke continued to walk, with Vader ensuring that he wouldn't fall, and soon Luke was walking without stumbling or hesitating: it almost looked natural. Luke had to admit he preferred this more than how he relearned to walk the previous time.

Luke sat back down on the bed after a few attempts to make it across the room. He rubbed his legs, right where the metal met his flesh, trying to bring comfort to him. Vader understood that he needed a break.

And that the two needed to talk.

"Don't think I haven't noticed those scar on your chest." Vader said, gently touching Luke's chest. "And don't think I don't know what it stands for. What you think of yourself."

Luke turned away.

"I know who I am." Luke grimaced. "It's not a matter of opinion."

"You don't even know who you are." Vader told him.

"I'm defined by my blood." Luke said. "I know that much."

"Would you like to know more about the blood that flows through your veins?" Vader asked.

"I know enough about you…"

"I'm not talking about me."

Luke's head perked up.

"You...you...you want to tell me about my mother?" Luke questioned, nervously. "You...you know what my mother was like?"

"Indeed." Vader said, his heart hurting at the thought of his late wife. "Would you like to hear about her?"

Luke nodded, nervous but rather excited all the same.

"Good," Vader said, ready to tell the story he had been keeping hidden for the past two decades. "It's about time you learned about how Anakin Skywalker fell in love...and fell to the darkside."

…

"Leia, sweetheart?" Han asked, coming into her room aboard the command ship. "You ok?"

Leia was crying. This had been the regular for the past couple of weeks. Han perfectly understood that pregnancies completely threw off a woman's emotions. Especially when said woman was currently under enough stress to create a diamond. Han gave a sigh and gave her a tired smile. He place his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them gently.

"It's alright, sweetheart." Han said lovingly, pulling her into his chest.

"No. No it's not." Leia wheeped.

"What happened?" Han asked, rubbing her back.

"I-I heard him." Leia said, rubbing her eyes.

"Who?"

"Luke." Leia said, trembling. "I heard his voice."

"Leia…" Han said, feeling a sting in his chest at the mention of his dead friend. "That's impossible."

"No-no it's not." Leia said, shaking her head. "I heard him. I know I heard him."

"But he's…" Han tried to reason with her, "he's dead."

"I know, I know." Leia heaved. "But I heard him. I know I did. I-I just can't do this…"

"Do what?" Han asked, "Sweetheart, you are the most powerful woman I know."

"But...but I heard him…" Leia sobbed. "It was so clear...It was like he was there."

Han held onto Leia tightly, desperate to comfort her the best he could. He couldn't even blame the baby for this emotional issue. Losing Luke...it cut them both to the core.

"He'll never really leave you…" Han said, trying his best. "He's a Jedi. He's probably watching over you every moment. Maybe he's just trying to talk to you."

"He...he said that he loved me." Leia said, a slight smile on her lips though tears were still filling her eyes.

"See?" Han said, giving her another squeeze. "Just like I said. He's watching over you from where ever he his."

Leia hugged him tighter.

"I love you." Leia whispered.

Han was about to say 'I know' but he stopped.

"I love you." He whispered. "I love you so much."

Han held her for the longest time and couldn't help but be jealous of the fact that Leia could hear Luke's voice. He didn't understand the force but knew that talking to someone beyond the grave was possible. Luke had even told Han, who had laughed at the time, that he had talked to old Ben. But Han...while he often tried, he didn't have a connection to the force. The last time he had seen Luke...he had been furious with him.

Oh what he would have done to have the chance to talk to Luke one last time.

To give comfort and friendship to the son of his greatest enemy.


End file.
